The Crime Desk: The first phase of the first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema ended with the final prayer with the participation of lakhs of devotees at Turag Teer in Tongi, Gazipur. The prayer, which began at 9:11 am on Sunday (February 2), was led by Maulana Zubair of the followers of Shura-e-Nezam (Zubair), which ended at 9:35 am.
In the prayer, prayers are offered for the guidance, unity, peace, prosperity, and salvation in this world and the hereafter of Muslims around the world, and for the invitation of religion to be spread everywhere. In addition, unconditional forgiveness is sought from Allah for freedom from all kinds of sins. After the prayer, the surroundings of the Turag Teer in Tongi and the Ijtema Maidan were filled with the sound of ‘Amin Amin.’.
Earlier, after Fajr, Maulana Abdur Rahman of India began his sermon; it was translated into Bengali by Maulana Abdul Matin. This sermon gave guidance on what actions those who would form a congregation from the Bishwa Ijtema Maidan and go out for religious work should take and what actions those who would return to their neighborhoods should take.
After the sermon, Maulana Ibrahim Deola of India gave an advisory sermon; the sermon was translated by Maulana Zubair. People from the surrounding areas started heading towards the Ijtema Maidan after the Fajr prayers on Sunday to participate in the prayer. With time, their flow on the highway started increasing. Thousands of people came down to the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway before dawn.
Numerous people covered the approximately 10-kilometer distance from Bhogra Bypass to the Ijtema Maidan on foot. Because the movement of vehicles was limited due to the huge crowd. Before the prayer, the Ijtema Maidan was filled to the brim. At one stage, numerous people took part in the prayer by taking positions in the alleys, roads, houses, and rooftops of factories around the Maidan, on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, Tongi-Ghorashal, and Kamarpara roads. Many were also seen sitting in boats on the Turag River and on the rooftops of nearby vehicles.
Hundreds of women from different areas took part in the final prayer by taking positions in various places around the Ijtema Maidan, including on the rooftops of factories and houses. 3,200 foreign guests of the Tablighi Jamaat from various countries, including India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia, the United States, Indonesia, and China, participated in this year’s Ijtema.
Earlier, the World Ijtema began on Friday after the Fajr sermon. This year’s World Ijtema of the followers of Shuray-e-Nezam (Zubayr) is being held in two phases. The second phase of the Ijtema will begin on Monday and end with the final prayer on Wednesday. Then, the Ijtema of the followers of Maulana Saad will be held from February 14 to 16.
It is worth noting that the second phase of the Ijtema will be held from February 3 to 5. The followers of Maulana Saad from India will organize the second phase of the World Ijtema from February 14 with a break of 8 days. The 2025 World Ijtema will end with the final prayer on February 16.
